Elly Williams’ Weblog

Along with some 500+ other sites, this site is Pink for October in aid of Breast Cancer Awareness Month.

I lost my Grandma to Cancer when I was about 10. (not Breast Cancer, possibly Endomitrial, I’m not too sure) She’d had it before and had treatment, but it came back. As you can probably tell, I’m fairly fuzzy on the details.

Anyway, this is a worthy cause, and I’m doing my bit. Have a look at the links below and see if you can do anything too.

• Breast Cancer Campaign - Charity specialising in funding Breast Cancer Research
• Cancer Research UK - The UK’s leading Cancer Research Charity
• Breast Cancer Care - Breast Cancer Support and Information
• Cancer Backup - Information, practical advice and support for cancer patients, their families and carers

Guardian Unlimited | The Guardian | The pregnancy police are watching you

New federal guidelines issued this year ask any woman capable of conceiving to treat themselves - and to be treated by their health-care provider - as “pre-pregnant” at all times. Women between their first menstrual period and the menopause are told to take folic acid supplements, stop smoking, stop drinking regularly, maintain a healthy weight and keep chronic conditions such as asthma and diabetes under control; not primarily for their own health but to protect any baby that they may or may not be planning to have.

What am I? A baby farm?

As it happens, I don’t smoke, I don’t drink a lot, I don’t take drugs, I do take folic acid (amongst other supplements) and I don’t have any chronic health problems - but the idea that I might be required to “look after myself” because I am capable of conception is, quite frankly, scary.

Just to add to the “Holy Cow” sentiment of teleporting becoming a near reality, it appears that they’re now working on suspended animation too…

Scientists have created eerie zombie dogs, reanimating the canines after several hours of clinical death in attempts to develop suspended animation for humans.

Pittsburgh’s Safar Centre for Resuscitation Research has developed a technique in which subject’s veins are drained of blood and filled with an ice-cold salt solution.

The animals are considered scientifically dead, as they stop breathing and have no heartbeat or brain activity.

But three hours later, their blood is replaced and the zombie dogs are brought back to life with an electric shock.

Plans to test the technique on humans should be realised within a year, according to the Safar Centre.

And there I was assuming that most people were perfectly happy with sci-fi staying fictional…

Boffins create zombie dogs | The Other Side | Breaking News 24/7 - NEWS.com.au (27-06-2005)

While skimming through my news feeds this morning and came across an article about a new campaign to get people to give up one of their kidneys for relatives needing a transplant. Now why did this article grab my attention… well, I’m blaming that on the headline.

Living organ donor drive launched .

A little too reminiscent of Monty Python: The Meaning of Life, and that scene where “an organ donor card holder has his organs forcibly removed in his own front room.”

It’s been a while since I wandered over to The Register, but earlier today that’s exactly what I did. And this is what I found. Scientists at Manchester University found a way to print skin

I found this fasicinating. Not only have they found a way to print skin but, in a similar spirit to the 3D Printer that I wrote about a while back they are hoping to expand to bone and cartilage.

Just think of the possibilities. Reconstructive surgery becomes much less hit and miss - whether for genetic, growth, accidental or not so accidental reasons . And what about if those tiny bones in your ear get shattered - they might actually be able to replace them. And if they figure out how to make nerve fibres. And how about cosmetic surgery - the possibilities are endless… “I think I’d like more prominent cheek bones” “What about pointy ears?” “An extra finger!” “Permanent high heels” “Klingon foreheads!!!”

But seriously - I really think this is a great idea, yes, some people will probably go a bit far, but I really think this will make people’s lives better.

I talked about RSI on one of my very early posts here. Particularly in relation to Playstation consoles and the like and to people not taking care of themselves when operating a computer.

Meri and Simon both discussed software that makes you take a break at the same time as OK/Cancel were talking about Ergonomics and how an office might be better arranged for the good of the people who work there.

Then more recently there was another discussion on OK/Cancel about the difference between pen/tablets and mice. At the time I wasn’t using my tablet to any great degree - I’ve gotten used to using a mouse , particularly with the bits of software (Photoshop, AutoCad, 3DStudio) that I use on a daily basis. To start using a pen and tablet for these made simple tasks a lot slower and a lot more agrovating.

And then, 1 week before a major deadline on my course, I started getting significant pains in my hands and wrists. Seeing as I’d quite like to still be able to use my hands when I’m 25, I’ve decided to stop using a mouse altogether. It now sits, unplugged, on top of my case. It has a pair of cardboard ears stuck to it. I’m getting used to using the pen, and discovering all the keyboard shortcuts I hadn’t bothered to learn before. I also make sure I have an emergency stock of tubigrip to support my wrists if need be.

I originally bought a tablet because I thought it would make my life easier, and I was then disappointed when it didn’t have an instant effect. However, in the longer term (6 months or so), having a tablet has made a significant difference. The fact that I already had a tablet meant that I could swap instantly without waiting for one to be delivered, or having to go buy one in town. I am much more positive about it than I was before I had to start using it. It is however slightly tragic that it’s not until I got into trouble that I started looking after myself. It’s the same as with protecting against viruses “It’ll never happen to me!”

On the BBC I found this article on a new system to help with the treatment Leukaemia

LISA ( Leukaemia Intervention Scheduling and Advice) is

“An internet application could ensure patients with leukaemia do not receive dangerous doses of chemotherapy”

Fantastic! No more leukaemia patients being prescribed the “wrong” drugs. And one day we can use this for other forms of cancer and other illnesses and all you’ll need to do is feed in your symptoms at home and get your miracle cure dellivered to your doorstep - hurrah, no more doctors…..

Hang on a sec - much as I’m in favour of making the lives of doctors and nurses easier and providing them with adequate patient and treatment information - do we really need a piece of software to make their judgements and descisions for them? Are years of medical training going to be replaced by databases and search engines? Are we going to end up with the job of a medical practitioner merely involving cataloguing symptoms and mindlessly dispensing medication? I sincerely hope not - if someone’s giving me potentially harmful drugs, I’d really like to think they know why.

It’s World Aids Day today. Hence the ribbon.

There was a giant concert in Cape Town over the weekend organised by the Nelson Mandela Foundation. There are also events going on all over the place over the next few days.

A few more related sites (by no means a comprehensive list!!)
46664
AVERT
BBC Aids Debate
UNAIDS
Children with Aids Charity

“Fantastic” article from the BBC this morning on the perils of playing too many console games. This kinda follows on from the various RSI pieces going round last week (courtesy of Meri, Simon and others.)

It’s not really suprising that spending hours playing console games is going to give you similar effects to staring at a screen clicking a mouse all day or using your mobile phone too much.

So how long is it before console games come with “How to sit properly while playing” instuctions - as well as “take a break now” warnings just as you got to the really good part? Don’t see it happening somehow….

I found an article on the BBC website. Apparently, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix has been giving some kids headaches.

I’m not sure why anyone has found this particularly suprising. One of the main factors is that the kids refuse to take a break from reading the book.

If you spend all day staring at a computer screen you are encouraged to take a break. I can clearly remember being told, by various teachers, to take breaks in exam revision. So why should reading a book be treated differently?

So is it the books that cause the headaches?

Well, I can’t think of any other children’s books of that length. And I may not be eight years old, but I’m certainly gripped by the series.

So the problem is - it would appear - that chilldren have found a gripping, can’t-put-down-til-you’ve-finished series that happens to be a giant hype love-it-or-loathe-it debate.

So what’s the solution? Discourage children from reading? or just discourage them from reading anything long and gripping. I don’t think so. I wish I’d had something that enjoyable to read when I was a kid.